


Time Will Tell

by animeshen



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Drama, F/M, Oneshot, Pining, Tragedy, Unrequited Love, Wedding, love triange, mentioned Dimitri/Byleth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2020-05-27
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:14:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24411142
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/animeshen/pseuds/animeshen
Summary: Seteth attends the wedding of the woman he loves.
Relationships: My Unit | Byleth/Seteth
Comments: 4
Kudos: 65





	Time Will Tell

_ “You, Rhea, Flayn and I… we’re like family.” _

Seteth watched alone from a chair as the bride and groom danced, sipping a glass of wine. His green eyes had been fixed intensely on her the entire day- her pure white dress, her radiant smile, the flowers plaited into her shining seafoam hair. Friends around them congratulated them sincerely, wishing them all the happiness in the world. Seteth’s eyes were strangely dark.

There were a thousand times… a  _ thousand _ times he thought it would be him. They had become so familiar with each other over this war, and he had been with her every step of it, giving her council and strategy and intel; all of which she utilized perfectly in the upcoming missions to keep everyone alive. They’d stayed up late into the evenings together- some stressful, others comfortable. She shared with him her fears and worries, as well as her hopes and excitement. He told her things he hadn’t said out loud in decades. He had grown to rely on her. She said she relied on him, too.

The bride and groom never strayed far from each other, always within arms reach, hands constantly seeking the other out- shoulders, arms, back, face, anything their fingers could find purchase on, smiling and giggling like lovesick teenagers. Seteth took another sip of wine, a dark feeling curling around his gut.

He had taken her hands, once, just before the final battle in Enbarr. He took her small, rough hands in his own and wished her good luck, be safe, and the expression she gave him was so soft. She stroked his cheek, and he may have leaned in to her touch, just a little, wishing he could kiss her fingers. She took her sword then and swept into the castle. He promised himself that when this was over, he would tell her everything. He would confess his affection, his desire, all the emotions he had been keeping tighty inside.

But someone beat him to it.

He could not fault the king for falling in love with her. He could not fault Byleth for falling in love with the king. He could only fault himself- a ridiculous old man who set his hopes too high.

Seteth was startled out of his brooding thoughts when a pair of arms wrapped comfortably around his shoulders. He recognized the touch of his daughter immediately and leaned in, soaking in her warmth and affection.

Of course- he had everything he needed right here. Flayn was the most important, her happiness and health tantamount. As long as she was well, he could be content.

“Brother,” she sighed, “you are ill at ease.”

“Just a little tired, Flayn,” he replied, smiling up at her weakly, but she did not smile back, turning to stand at his side with a concerned frown.

“I realize this must be hard for you, being here. I know how you feel about the Professor.”

His heart stopped for a beat, and it took all his focus to school his expression into something relaxed. “Flayn, I don’t-”

“Do not think you ever had me fooled,” she replied with a raised eyebrow and a small, sly quirk of her lips. “I have known you for centuries, and it is not since Mother that I have ever seen you look at someone the way you look at her.”

Something cold washed over him at the mention of her mother- his wife. His expression turned to one of guilt. “Flayn, your mother… I, I never-”

“Seteth, stop,” she commanded and he snapped his mouth shut. “I know nothing will ever replace Mother- for you or for me. But it is okay to open your heart to new love. She would not want you to be lonely forever! Truthfully, I was very happy for you!”

Seteth sighed with all the weariness of the world, looking again over at the newlyweds, gazing adoringly into each others’ eyes.

“I suppose there is nothing for it, now.” He forced a sad, hollow smile at his daughter, and patted her hand. She squeezed his shoulders once more, grieving with him.

“Good luck, Father. Perhaps in a hundred years, you will have another chance.”

She kissed the top of his head and slipped away, back towards the dancing and festivities. As he watched, something twisted around his heart- something just a little sinister. He slid his gaze back over to Byleth, igniting.

A hundred years. Of course.

Byleth had merged with the progenitor God. She was now more like him and Flayn than she was like a human.

It was entirely possible, she was going to stop aging entirely. It was entirely possible she would be as long-lived as the other Nabeteans. He raised a finger to his mouth in contemplation.

In a hundred years, every human in this room would be dead. The Nabeteans would mourn them all together, as Seteth has mourned a thousand good friends before, a thousand wise and strong and charismatic people who had grown and aged and died around him, as humans do. It was a hard life, but one Byleth would eventually understand, and accept.

It was a wicked thought, but it was the truth- she would outlive Dimitri. Seteth realized with startling clarity that he had never been in competition at all- there wasn’t any need to feel threatened by any of the men in this room. They would all leave, and Seteth, her stalwart ally and closest confidant, would still be there, as promised. Never pressuring. Never assuming. Just supporting, as he always had, as he always would. All he needed to do was be patient. And he had the patience of a  _ saint _ .

Seteth locked away all his dark emotions deep, deep in a vault inside him, hiding them away, and finally stood to congratulate the couple. For now, he could be happy for her. He was not so petty. Dimitri was a good man, and would be a good king, and a good husband. Seeing the undiluted joy on Byleth’s face was treasure enough. Seteth smiled, finding it in himself to be genuinely happy for them.

Someday, Dimitri would die. And Byleth wouldn’t.

He didn’t have to win. He just had to wait.


End file.
